The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-11

wife (if consenting to testify a compe-
tent witness in any examination, in
quest or prosecution, touching the
other, under statute of the United
States forbiddiug any of the above
named otfenses, except as to Communi-
cations between each other deemed con-
hdentlal at common law;
Valves the original process of sub
p9na and authorizes an attachment for
witnesses IN any such criminal pro-
csedlDg upon cause shown by oath or
thTmati0n;
Prescribes the rule determining The
degrees of consequently, deuounCes
incest. adultery and forui alton, and
/ prescribes the punishment therefor;
Vests the commissioners who are or
may be appointed by the Supreme or
District Courts in he territory, with
! the sauoe powers and jurisdiction Of
! justices of the peace in the tel ritOry
under the laws thereof; it also confcrs
on such commission, ne same pc 5
conferred by law on commis5 olers ap-
pointed by Circuit Courts of the United
States;
Requires every ceremony of marriage
| performed in the territory to be signed
| ~ the parties thereto, and by every
| officer, priest or other person taking
part therein; and shat the same when
thus authenticated shall be filed in the
office OF the probate court of the proper
county for record, and that the record
thereof shall remain subject 70 inspec-
ton, and enforces the r, Quirement by
inHlcting fine or imprisonment or both
| upon any willful vlolatioI thereof;
Incapacitates every Legitimate child
in the territory, to take or receive by
inheritance, the estate or any part OF
the estate of his or her father, save
such of them as shall have been born
within twelve months after the passage
al the act, or are legitimated by the act
of 1882;
DissOlves the corporations known re-
spectively as the perpetual Emigra-
ton Fund Company" and the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, !"
makes their renewal unla wful, and for
| feits and escheats their property to the
United States, subject to certain limi
tations and exceptions;
Regulates the right OF dover;
makes the judges of the pro-
bate courts appointable by the
President. by and with the ad
vice and consent of the Senate; abolishes
female suffrage; requires the Governor
and Secretary of the Territory, to-
gether with the Utah Commission. to
redistrict the same, and to apportion
the representation in the Legislative
Assembly according to the numbers OF
the people in the Territory. exclusive
of uataXed Indians and other non
citizens,) and the numoer of the mem
bers of the present Legislative Assembly,
respeC lively;
Continues the powers and duties of
the Utah Commission, until the same
shall be superseded by the Legislative
Assembly of Utah aud the subsequent
approval of Congress;
Limits the right of suffrage to male
persons, who as precedent condition to
the exercise thereof shall have registered
their names as voters, and subscribed
an oath or affirmation that The is
over q year, of age, has resided in the
| Territory six months, and in the pre-.
cinCt OF his residence one month; in
Guiding III such oath or affirmation g
statement, according to the fRct, that
he is natiVe-born or naturalized
citizen of the United States; and Of his
age, with his place of business, his
status. whether single or married, and,
if married, the name of his lawful wife;
that he will support the Constitution
of the United States and faithfully obey
1882 and this act in respect of the
crimes in the same defined and for
hidden, and will not directly or in
directly aid or abet, counsel or advise,
any other person to commit any of said
crimes;
More. 1t renders every person in.
eligible to serve as an officer or juror
in the Territory who has not taken the
oath therein set forth, similar in form,
and absolutely disqualIfies every person
for such srrVice, as also to vote III any
election therein, who has been con-
Yicted Of any crime in either of the acts
mentioned, or who shall be a polyg-
amist or in association or cohabltation
pOlygamously with a person of the
other sex;
Moreover, the act suspends the laws
of the Territory providing for the
method of electing and appointing the
territorial superintendent OF district
schools; abollshes that office, and
devolves its powers and duties upon
another officer to be appointed by the
Supreme Court of the Territory; re-
stricts the quantity and mode OF tenure
of the land which may be held by
religious bodies, and auuuls all local
laws on that subject; provides that the
militia of Utah shall be organized and
subject in all respects to the laws of the
United States regulating the militia in
the Territories, and that the general
officers of the militia shall be appointed
by the Governor of the Territory, by
and with the advice and consent of the
Council thereof.
The vigorous enforcement of these
laws has resulted in a sense of dis
quietude and insecurity in the mass of
the Mormon population, and, as we
have before said, the indications of an
important change are apparent. The
truth of this statement Is corrobOrated
by the answers IF the chief justice of
the territory and others set forth in the
appendix numbered IL, III. and ".
respectively, which are cited for what
they. express apart from any inference
respecting further Legislation.
1t is admitted, however, that these
answers designate no definite or ap
proximate period when polygamy in
Utah may be expected to cease; indeed
it is deemed impracticable to 90 so.
For ourselves, We may repeat, that the
practice of polygamy appears to be de
Ginning and in the course of ultimate
abandonment, and that our observation
leads US to believe that the present in